Scottish Land & Estates, which represents 2,500 landowners across Scotland, today welcomed the recent announcement that Brian Pack is to chair a working group that will consider how to reduce the red tape associated with farming.

Chief Executive Douglas McAdam said: “Scottish Land & Estates is delighted that Richard Lochhead is seeking to continue cutting red tape and that he has appointed Brian Pack to explore ways that this can be done. Our members continually highlight with us the need for reducing the excessive bureaucracy associated with farming and any moves in this direction are welcome. We hope that the outcome of this work will be a real tangible reduction in red tape that benefits Scottish farmers”.